Women in chess

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the participation of women in chess and its culture.

Women's chess competitions[]

Vera Menchik in 1933; she became the first Women's World Chess Champion in 1927

The majority of chess tournaments are open to all participants regardless of gender. On the calendar of international tournaments, very few if any are restricted to men; but a few are restricted to women, most prominently the Women's World Chess Championship and the Women's Chess Olympiad. The World Junior Chess Championship and World Youth Chess Championship also include concurrent girls' championships in various age divisions. Some countries hold, in addition to the national championship, a separate women's national championship.

The first Women's World Chess Championship was held in 1927 and won by Vera Menchik.[1] The current champion is Ju Wenjun, but the higher rated Hou Yifan, after winning the championship three times, has declined to participate since 2016.

Women in chess coaching[]

In 2010, as the head coach for the Texas Tech Knight Raiders chess team, Susan Polgar became the first woman to lead a men's Division I chess team to the Final Four.[2] In April 2011 the Texas Tech Knight Raiders won the President's Cup;[3] this made Polgar the first female head coach to lead a men's Division I chess team to the national title.[2]

Gender differences in chess achievement[]

Judit Polgár, 2008

One woman, Judit Polgár (generally considered the strongest female chess player ever[4]), was at one time the eighth highest rated chess player in the world.[5][6] Three women, Maia Chiburdanidze,[7] Polgár[8] and Hou Yifan,[9] have been ranked in the world's top 100 players.[10]

Analysis of rating statistics of German players in an article from 2009 by Merim Bilalić, Kieran Smallbone, Peter McLeod, and Fernand Gobet[11] indicated that although the highest-rated men were stronger than the highest-rated women, the difference (usually more than 200 rating points) was largely accounted for by the relatively smaller pool of women players (only one-sixteenth of rated German players were women). In 2020, psychologist and neuroscientist Wei Ji Ma summarized the state of research on women in chess as "there is currently zero evidence for biological differences in chess ability between the genders" but added "that does not mean that there are certainly no such differences."[12]

Reasons for differences in chess achievement[]

Chess players, both men and women, have speculated on the reasons behind the gap in chess achievements by women compared to men. Some women players believe the major reason is due to cultural expectations and bias. Jennifer Shahade, a FIDE Woman Grandmaster and the women's program director at the United States Chess Federation (USCF), said there is a large drop-off of girls at the USCF around the ages of 12 and 13, which she attributes to the lack of a social network for girls that age in chess.[13] Polgár said that society and some parents may weaken the desire of young female chess players to improve,[14] and that women were often held back by lower ambition by choosing to compete in all-women tournaments rather than open tournaments.[15] Jovanka Houska, an International Master and Woman Grandmaster, argued that overconfidence by boys gives an advantage over girls.[16]

In a 2007 study at the University of Padua, male and female players of similar ability were matched up with each other on online games. When the players were unaware of their opponent's sex, female players won slightly under half their games. When female players were told their opponent was male, they played less aggressively, and they won about 1 in 4 games. However, when female players were told their opponent was female, even though they were actually male, they were as aggressive as the male players and won about 1 in 2 games. The researchers argued that gender stereotypes may have led female players to lower their self-esteem and self-confidence when they know they are playing male players, causing them to play defensively which worsened their performance.[17][15]

Some male players have commented on women's performance in chess. In a 1963 interview, Bobby Fischer was dismissive of female players, calling them "terrible" and said it was because "[women] are not so smart".[18] In 2015, grandmaster Nigel Short argued that male players performed better because men and women were "hard-wired" for different skills,[19] which was met with controversy.[20]

Sexism in chess[]

Polgár,[14] Shahade[13] and Houska[16] said that they have encountered sexism, including belittling comments about their abilities, opponents who refused to shake hands, and online trolls questioning if girls and women belong in chess.

Culture[]

The Lewis chessmen in the British Museum

Margret the Adroit may have made the 12th-century[21] Lewis chessmen. In 2010 at a conference at the National Museum of Scotland on the Lewis chessmen, Gudmundur Thorarinsson (a civil engineer and a former member of the Icelandic Parliament) and Einar S. Einarsson (a former president of Visa Iceland and a friend of the chess champion Bobby Fischer)[22][23] argued that Margret the Adroit made them. It is a claim that the American author Nancy Marie Brown supports in her 2015 book, Ivory Vikings, the Mystery of the Most Famous Chessmen in the World and the Woman Who Made Them.[24]

Historically chess has had many variants. In chess today the Queen is the name of the most powerful chess piece. There is a cultural story of how and why chess changed to recognize this piece as female.[25]

History of women in chess[]

In the Middle Ages, Macalda di Scaletta played chess, and historical evidence suggests that she was probably the first person in Sicily who learned how to play it.

Queen Elizabeth I, who lived from 1533 until 1603, played chess very well, according to a placard in the Tower of London.[26][27]

Benjamin Franklin, who lived from 1706 until 1790, according to Thomas Jefferson played chess in Paris with socially important women, including the Duchess of Bourbon Bathilde d'Orléans, who was "a chess player of about his force".[28][29]

In 1884 the first women's chess tournament was held; it was sponsored by the Sussex Chess Association.[30]

In 1897 the first women’s international chess tournament was held, which Mary Rudge won.[31]

In 1927 the first Women's World Chess Championship was held, which Vera Menchik won.[1]

In 1950 Lyudmila Rudenko became the first female International Master.[32][33]

The first Women’s Chess Olympiad was held in 1957 and won by the Soviet Union team.[34][35][36][37]

In 1976 Rohini Khadilkar became the first female to compete in the Indian Men's Championship. Her involvement in a male competition caused a furore that necessitated a successful appeal to the High Court and caused the World Chess Federation president, Max Euwe, to rule that women cannot be barred from national and international championships.[38]

In 1978 Nona Gaprindashvili became the first female Grandmaster.[39][40]

In 1996 Judit Polgár became the first woman to be ranked in the top ten of all chess players,[41] in 2002 she became the first female chess player to defeat the reigning world number one (Garry Kasparov) in a game,[42][43] and in 2005 she became the first female player to play for a small-scale World Chess Championship, which she did in the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005; she had previously participated in large, 100+ player knockout tournaments for the world championship, but this was a small 8-player invitational.

Recently, Hou Yifan has been the leading female chess player, for example winning the Biel GM tournament in 2017.[44]

In all, three women, Maia Chiburdanidze,[7] Judit Polgar,[8] and Hou Yifan,[9] have been ranked in the world's top 100 players.[10]

Timeline of women in chess[]

  • 1884: The first women's chess tournament was held; it was sponsored by the Sussex Chess Association.[30]
  • 1897: The first women’s international chess tournament was held, which Mary Rudge won.[31]
  • 1922: María Teresa Mora became the first woman to win the Cuban Chess Championship.[45][46]
  • 1927: Vera Menchik won the first Women's World Chess Championship.[1]
  • 1950: Lyudmila Rudenko became the first female International Master.[32][33]
  • 1950: Chantal Chaudé de Silans became the first woman to play at a Chess Olympiad.
  • 1950: FIDE introduced the Woman International Master title.[47]
  • 1957: The first Women’s Chess Olympiad was held in 1957 and won by the Soviet Union team.[37][34][35][36]
  • 1961: Lisa Lane appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in the August 7, 1961 edition, making her the first chess player of any gender to appear on its cover.[48]
  • 1976: Rohini Khadilkar became the first female to compete in the Indian Men's Championship. Her involvement in a male competition caused a furore that necessitated a successful appeal to the High Court and caused the World Chess Federation president, Max Euwe, to rule that women cannot be barred from national and international championships.[38]
  • 1976: FIDE introduced the Woman Grandmaster title.[49]
  • 1978: Nona Gaprindashvili became the first female Grandmaster.[50]
  • 1978: FIDE introduced the Woman FIDE Master title.[51]
  • 1986: FIDE decided to grant 100 bonus Elo rating points to all active female players except Susan Polgár, which knocked her from the top spot in the January 1987 FIDE ratings list. The rationale was that the FIDE ratings of women were not commensurate with the ratings of the men because the women tended to play in women-only tournaments, Polgar being an exception because up to that point she had played mainly against men.[52]
  • 1991: Judit Polgár became the first woman to be the youngest-ever Grandmaster.[53]
  • 1993: Judit Polgár became the first woman to qualify for an Interzonal tournament.[54]
  • 1996: Judit Polgár became the first woman to be ranked in the top ten of all chess players.[41]
  • 1998: Judit Polgár became the first woman to win the U.S. Open Chess Championship. She shared the tournament victory with Boris Gulko as each scored 8–1.[55]
  • 2002: FIDE introduced the Woman Candidate Master title.[56]
  • 2002: Judit Polgár became the first female player to defeat the reigning world number one in a game, beating Garry Kasparov.[42][43]
  • 2003: Susan Polgár became the first woman to win the U.S. Open Blitz Championship.[57]
  • 2003: Susan Polgár became the first woman to be named "Grandmaster of the Year" by the United States Chess Federation.[58]
  • 2005: Judit Polgár became the first female player to play for a small-scale World Chess Championship, which she did in the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005; she had previously participated in large, 100+ player knockout tournaments for the world championship, but this was a small 8-player invitational.
  • 2013: Alexandra Kosteniuk became the first woman to win the men's Swiss Chess Championship.[59]

Further reading[]

  • Winter, Edward (22 November 2020). "Chess and Women". www.chesshistory.com. Chess Notes.
  • Shahade, Jennifer (2005). Chess bitch : women in the ultimate intellectual sport (1st ed.). Los Angeles: Siles Press. ISBN 978-1890085094.

See also[]

External links[]

References[]

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  2. ^ a b "Raiders Win Final Four: Best College Chess Team In Nation :: Texas Tech Today". Today.ttu.edu. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  3. ^ Rodriguez, Rocio (2011-04-07). "Knight Raiders win national championship". The Daily Toreador. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  4. ^ Sources citing Polgár as by far the strongest female chess player of all time:
    • "Anand wins chess "Battle of the Sexes"". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Associated Press. 18 August 2003. p. 6A. note: The Associated Press story on Aug.17/18, 2003 on the Polgár–Anand match explicitly refers to Polgár with the words "by far the strongest woman chess player ever"
    • "Polgar, Judit". Encyclodedia Britannica Online. Retrieved 22 January 2015. note: explicitly uses "by far": "By far the strongest female player of all time".
    • "Super-GM tournament in Sofia starts". Chessbase.com. 12 May 2005. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
    • "Judit Polgár: 'I can work myself into the top ten again'". ChessBase. 11 November 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2008.
    • McClain, Dylan Loeb (24 December 2006). "Chess; The Secret of Playing Blindfold: Memory May Be the Least of It". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
    • "Women Grandmasters in Chess". MichaelBluejay. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
    • Pein, Malcolm (22 September 2009). "A crown for Kosteniuk". London: Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 18 April 2010. Malcolm Pein, British IM and Executive Editor of CHESS magazine, when speaking of A. Kosteniuk's victory over Hou Yifan for the Women's World Champtionship, said "Currently Judit Polgár is in another league from any other female player."
    • "Elite Players Of Chess To Compete". The New York Times. 17 May 2005. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
    • Humber, James M.; Almeder, Robert F. (7 August 1998). Human cloning. Humana Press inc. p. 87. ISBN 0-89603-565-4.
    • Weber, Bruce (22 December 1996). "Next Move? Chess enthusiasts puzzle over game's gender imbalance". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 17A.
    • Wolff, Patrick (2002). Complete Idiot's guide to chess. Penguin Group (USA) Inc. p. 277. ISBN 0-02-864182-5.
    • Kavalek, Lubomir (17 January 2005). "Chess". The Washington Post. p. C12. Kavalek, GM in the top 100 players for 26 years, called Polgár, "the all-time best female player"
    • Pandolfini, Bruce (2007). Treasure Chess: Trivia, Quotes, Puzzles, and Lore from the World's Oldest Game. Random House. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-375-72204-2. Pandolfini, chess author and coach, writes "Judit Polgár is simply the strongest female chess player in history."
    • "All Time Rankings:FIDE Top 10 1970–1997". The University of Edinburgh. Archived from the original on 26 November 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
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  6. ^ Smerdon, David. "What's behind the gender imbalance in top-level chess?". The Conversation. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
  7. ^ a b "FIDE rating history :: Chiburdanidze, Maia".
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  9. ^ a b "FIDE Ratings". ratings.fide.com.
  10. ^ a b Colodro, Carlos Alberto. "Hou Yifan youngest-ever full professor at Shenzhen University". chessbase.com. chessbase. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  11. ^ Bilalić, Merim; Smallbone, Kieran; McLeod, Peter; Gobet, Fernand (22 March 2009). "Why are (the best) women so good at chess? Participation rates and gender differences in intellectual domains". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 276 (1659): 1161–1165. doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.1576. PMC 2679077. PMID 19129102.
  12. ^ Ma, Wei Ji (11 December 2020). "The Real Reasons All the Top Chess Players Are Men". Slate Magazine.
  13. ^ a b Miller, Julie (2020-11-05). "The Queen's Gambit: A Real-Life Chess Champion on Netflix's Addictive Hit". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  14. ^ a b McClain, Dylan (2020-11-10). "How 'The Queen's Gambit' Started a New Debate About Sexism in Chess". The New York Times. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  15. ^ a b Leland, John (2016-07-08). "4 Young Chess Masters Tackle a Persistent Puzzle: The Gender Gap". The New York Times. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  16. ^ a b Davies, Caroline (2020-11-14). "Igniting girls' interest in chess may be great legacy of The Queen's Gambit". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  17. ^ Maass, Anne; D'Ettole, Claudio; Cadinu, Mara (2007-05-14). "Checkmate? The role of gender stereotypes in the ultimate intellectual sport". European Journal of Social Psychology. 38 (2): 231–245. doi:10.1002/ejsp.440. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  18. ^ McClain, Dylan (2020-11-03). "I'm a Chess Expert. Here's What 'The Queen's Gambit' Gets Right". The New York Times. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  19. ^ Short, Nigel (2015-04-22). "Vive La Différence". Chessbase. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  20. ^ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (2015-04-20). "Nigel Short says men 'hardwired' to be better chess players than women". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
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  22. ^ McClain, Dylan Loeb (September 8, 2010). "Reopening History of Storied Ivory Chessmen". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  23. ^ "Bones of Contention". The Economist. August 29, 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  24. ^ Brown, Nancy Marie (2015). Ivory Vikings: the Mystery of the most Famous Chessmen in the World and the Woman who Made Them. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9781137279378.
  25. ^ Yalom, Marilyn (2015). Birth of the chess queen : a history (First Perennial ed.). New York, NY. ISBN 978-0060090654.
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  27. ^ Matthew B. Caffrey (2019). On Wargaming: How Wargames Have Shaped History and how They May Shape the Future. Government Printing Office. pp. 32–. ISBN 978-1-935352-65-5.
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  38. ^ a b "Checkmating him". The Hindu. 2001-08-03. Retrieved 2016-04-06.[dead link]
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  41. ^ a b The January 1996 FIDE ratings list was a landmark as Polgár's 2675 rating made her the No. 10 ranked player in the world, the only woman ever to enter the world's Top Ten. Berry, Jonathan (6 January 1996). "Kramnick, 20 Tops the rating list". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A12.
  42. ^ a b "Sweet revenge for Kasparov's opponent". The Guardian. 11 September 2002. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  43. ^ a b For the game score, see chessgames
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  51. ^ Gino Di Felice (16 January 2018). Chess International Titleholders, 1950-2016. McFarland. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-1-4766-3361-9.
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  53. ^ "Hungarian teen-ager achieves rank of chess grandmaster". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. New York Times Service. 5 February 1992. p. A9.
  54. ^ Berry, Jonathan (15 May 1993). "Polgar moves up to Interzonal". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. E9.
  55. ^ Byrne, Robert (25 August 1998). "CHESS; Polgar Is First Woman to Win the Open". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  56. ^ "Woman Candidate Master (WCM) - Chess Terms - Chess.com". www.chess.com.
  57. ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/print-edition/2014/09/12/susan-polgar-director-susan-polgar-institute-for.html[bare URL]
  58. ^ "Susan Polgar – Grandmaster of the Year". Chess News. June 5, 2003.
  59. ^ "Kosteniuk leads women's blitz". Qatar-Tribune.
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